Headlight-curtain.



C. A. PRATTB. HBADLIGHT GURTAIN.

. APPLIUATION FILED JAN.25, 1908. v 907,704.`

\ @Hoz/neta Patented Dec. 22, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

G. A. PRATTB.

HEADLIGHT GUBTAIN. APPLIOATION FILED JAN.25, 190s.

907,704. Patented De.22,19o8. Y

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'HHM ffl!! l a /f a Witnesses. {v9} UNTTED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

CHARLES A. PRATTE, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ORISSEY J. CREWS,

OF DENVER, COLORADO.

HE ADLIG-HT-CURTAIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A.. PRATTE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Headlight-Curtains; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in locomotive headlight curtains, my object being to provide an exceedingly simple construction of this class which shall be adapted to efficiently perform the required function and which shall have little liability to get out of repair. Y

To this end my improved mechanism includes the roller journaled in a frame work adapted to be attached to a locomotive headlight. To this roller is attached a curtain adapted to be drawn in front of the lens of the headlight and fastened in the lowered position. To the opposite extremities of the roller are attached chains or other flexible devices to which are applied weights, the latter moving in guides arranged on opposite sides of the frame. The frame work is provided with an opening surrounded by a flange adapted to slip over the holder of the headlight lens. Beyond this opening the frame work consists of a plate which forms a backing or sup ort for the curtain.

Having brie y outlined my improved construction, I will proceed to describe the same in detail reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In this drawing, Figure 1 is a front view of a locomotive headlight equipped with my improved curtain, the same being raised to disclose the headlight. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the headlight showing my improved attachment in vertical section. Fig. 3 is a section taken through the headlight curtain structure on the line 3-3 Fig. 2 shown on a larger scale. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the curtain mechanism shown in detail and on a larger scale, the mechanism being partly broken away for lack of room on the sheet. This is aview looking in the direction of arrow 4 of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a front view of the same, the housing in front of the roller being partly broken away.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate a locomotive headlight of ordinary structure. My improved headlight curtain structure consists of a plate 6 having an opening T-surrounded by a circular flange S adapted to be applied to the lens holder 9 of the headlight, the said flange being adapted to fit the lens holder exteriorly. As shown in the drawing the said fiange is secured to the lens holder by rivets 10. The upper extremity of this plate is provided with a forwardly projecting housing 12 closed at its ends as shown at 13. To the inner surface of the ends 13 are applied reinforcing plates 14 the same being secured by screws 15. These plates are provided With recesses 16 adapted to receive the conical extremities of journals 17 of the curtain roller 18. To the opposite extremities of this roller are applied separated disks 19 forming .drums or pulleys between which flexible devices as chains 2O are attached. Vvlhen the curtain is lowered the chains are wound upon the drum extremities of the roller, that is to say between the disks 19.

To the extremities of the chains remote from the roller are attached weights 21 adapted to travel in cylindrical guides 22 vertically disposed on opposite sides of the frame plate and extending the entire length thereof. The curtain 23 is attached to the roller between its drum extremities. To its free extremity is attached a rod 24 whose extremities are adapted to slide in ways 25 formed between the guides 22 and the frame plate. These extremities of the curtain rod engage horizontal members 26 of angle plates 27 secured to the opposite ends of the housing. The frame plate is also provided at its lower extremity and on opposite sides with stops 28 adapted to engage the extremities of the curtain rod when the latter is pulled downwardly to conceal the headlight. Centrally located between the two stops 28, is a catch 29 with which the ring 30 of the curtain may be connected in order to hold the latter in the headlight-concealing position. p

From the foregoing description thev use and operation of my vimproved headlight curtain will be readily understood. The position of the curtain shown in Fig. l may be termed its normal position. When it is desired to conceal the headlight, the curtain is pulled downwardly to the position shown in i Fig. 2, the ring 30 being connected with the ing sufficient to raise it to its normal position or that shown in F ig. 1.

My improved curtain structure may be employed in relations other than in connec` tion with headlights.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A headlight curtain structure comprising a plate, a headlight lens adapted to fit in an opening in the said plate, the plate being provided with a fiange surrounding the said opening, a lens holder to which said flange is secured, the upper part of the plate above the casing being provided With a housing, a roller j'ourn'aled in the ends of' the housing and concealed by' the latter, a curtain attached to the roller, flexible devices connected with the opposite extremities of the roller and provided with weights, the flexible devices being connected to wind upon the roller in the same direction, the plate of the structure being provided with vertically disposed tubular guides formed integral with the plate, arranged on. opposite sides of the latter and adapted to receive the weights, substantially as described.

2. A headlight curtain structure comprising a frame adapted to be attached to the front of the headlight, a roller journaled in the upper part of` said frame, a headlight. lens adapted to be exposed through a central opening in the frame, flexible devices attached to the opposite extremities of the roller and provided with weights, the iiexible devices being adapted to wind on thev roller in the saine direction, a curtain attached to the roller and normally held in position by the weights to expose the headlight, the curtain being provided at its free extremity with a rod having protruding extremities which are adapted to travel in vertically disposed ways formed integral with the frame of the structure, substantially as described. Y

f 3. A headlight curtain structure compris- I ing a frame, a roller journaled in the upper f part of the frame, flexible devices attached to the opposite extremities of the roller and provided with Weights, the said flexible devices being connected to wind on the roller in the same direction, a curtain attached to the roller between the flexible devices, the weights being of sufficient aggregate mass to Wind the curtain upon the roller when the curtain is released, the frame being provided on opposite sides With vertically disposed tubular guides in which the and are concealed, the free extremity of the roller being provided with. a rod having' pro-- truding extremities extendingv into ways formed between the body of the frame work in presence ofV two witnesses.

' CHARLES A. PRATTE. Vitnesses A. J. OBRIEN, C. J. CREws.

Weights travel.

and the guides for the weights, the frame 

